One awesome tip I picked up on going #2 in the woods is to dig the hole well before you need it. Dig it at night, that way it's ready for you when you get up in the morning. It's much easier to dig a hole under "non-stressful conditions" as well.
This is what I learned over the years. The size of your pack doesnt matter. How the pack fits is what matters. Also dont think you have to fill the pack up, if you have some left over space, that is OK. My pack is rather large and looks empty in the summer/short hikes, but it is stuffed in the winter/long hikes. If you have a pack you cant wait to throw off at every break. your trip will not be a good one. If you have a pack you can wear all day, you have a winner. BTW have a professional fit your pack until you learn how to do it yourself. Learn map and compass. Nothing is scarier than being lost and nothing is more of a bummer than having to backtrack. No matter how bad the day is, if you have a good place to sleep (tent, bad, pad) you can face the next day refreshed. Learn some back country first aid. The general first aid is worthless for back country use. Get a good quality stove and learn how to maintain it and fix it if need be. A trip is shot if you cant melt snow or cook your planned meals and it really sucks when you get home and realize all you needed was a new o ring and the stove would have worked. Know the water sources and plan on filtering every drop. Fluids shooting out either or both ends is a miserable trip. Get a good filter and know how to use it. Blisters suck. Stop sooner rather than later to take care of hot spots on your foot. Learn how to deal with blisters and how to avoid them. A boot that fits with your preferred sock routine sounds easy but usually takes a lot of trial and error. Dont plan on breaking the boot in as usually it is the boot that will break you in. Experiment with different food. not every meal has to come from a dehydrated pouch. Most importantly, pay attention to other backpackers and dont be afraid to ask questions. Just take what they say with a grain of salt because in backpacking nothing is one size fits all so what works for some just might not work for you at all. Lastly, never lose sight over why you are out backpacking in the first place. It doesnt matter that others can go farther each day or have 10k dollars of gear. That is them and they have their own reasons for being out. Get what works for you and what makes you happy, and you are ahead of the game.
For my solo wilderness survival overnight in the Escalante Canyon, I was a terrified college student. Our professor made sure to tell a lot of stories about mountain lions tracking people thru the wilderness to their sad and grisly demise before he sent us off on our Vision Quest, required to finish the course with credit. I set up my tent next to a large bush at my back and thot I was safe, but all night there were rustling, and cracking and creaking, and scurrying sounds and weird chirping! . I was scared to death and thot a mountain lion was right outside my tent. I couldn't sleep all night. When I came out in the morning, I discovered that the bush was full of hundreds of little lizards about the size of skinks! And it was the lizards chirping, rustling, jumping and creaking the branches that had scared me so badly. They were really cute, and I felt so DUMB!! Two summers ago I made the same mistake at Whatum Lake, Oregon, setting up in front of a big bush to protect me from bears. Bears were not the problem in the morning! My tent was covered in ticks! and so was the bush! Be sure to set up an hour before dark! If you have to move, you have time to do that.
So in other words your professor wasn’t a teacher, but instead a sadistic person in a suit. Why on earth would you purposely frighten your students? As they say...”people who can, do and people who can’t, teach” 👎🏽
@@Mabaz They are ALL slackers in my opinion, living off the gov'ment and unions. The free market develops the true leaders of this country! Example.....all democrats, they do not have any understanding of being self reliant
One of my favorite backpacking meals has been a can of salmon (similar to tuna, and make sure you get one that doesn't require a can opener) combined with instant potatoes and instant gravy
Just carry a P51 can opener as they weigh almost nothing and the cans that have the pop tops are much more prone to open if dropped, even inside your bag! A can of salmon, with crushed crackers (or AP flour) and an egg (even dried) mixed together and pan fried with a little oil (olive) is better than any FD meal!
Lots of good advice. However, cotton has a time and place. Decades of experience backpacking in Grand Canyon and desserts taught me a light colored, long sleeve cotton shirt is life saving when kept damp. Acts like an air conditioner!
This is true. I backpack in cotton in the desert for this reason. But I see lots of people taking cotton into the backcountry in situations that could become dangerous and they just don't know.
My biggest mistake was having zero backpacking experience and hiking John Muir trail for 55 miles in 4 days carrying a 55lb pack. I packed too many clothes. Gear was too heavy etc. for example...I now have a 28 liter pack that holds all my gear and can get me through a weekend including food. And that’s with a 2 man tent and not an ultralight one at that haha. I could probably get my 28 liter to last me 5 days including food if I changed my tent and sleeping pad to more compact options. I learned to go light first and ask yourself if some other comfort items are worth it
A large pack under filled is more comfortable than a smaller pack over filled. All packs have a weight that is too much for them. The shape of what you put in is important. I have a pack designed to carry a water bladder. It is very uncomfortable with the bladder as the bladder changes the shape of the pack. It is better with a water bottle.
My pack has a water bladder pocket that is really difficult to get to. Part of the frame blocks it off. The pack is one of the Anti-gravity types with the netting across the back and there's just enough room back there to shove the bladder into. Puts the weight closer to my body, easier access, doesn't take up room inside of the pack, and it carries well back there.
Awesome video, thanks. "Cotton kills" is always something to remember and literally true in the outdoors. The only tip I'd modify is the sleep tip. It's not limited to sleep. This goes for every part of your daily life not just camping. Don't skimp on anything that connects you to the ground. Sleep gear, shoes, tires, etc. It seems anything in this category just makes life miserable if not done right.
I’m learning so much from your videos! Trek on with more subjects such as the use of hiking poles, the truth about cougars and bear safety, how to grow into a more experienced hiker and backpacker. I’ve been hiking for four months now averaging 20-25 miles a week on moderate to difficult trails, female, live in the PNW and am in my upper sixties. I love experiencing what I call, “discovering nature’s treasures!” Thank you for such interesting brilliantly communicated videos!
Aww thanks so much Jas! I really appreciate your comment. Glad you are learning! Sounds like you're really getting after it. I love to hear that! Thanks for the video ideas. I'll keep em comin'!
On my first trip into the backcountry I learned about taking water filtration even on overnights. I had taken 1.5 gal for a one night. My friend and I got a little over-zealous being our first trip and hiked about 20ish miles before setting camp in August. We realized our mistake in the morning when we only had a half gallon left and no water filter. Needless to say it was a thirsty walk out.
Oh yeah. My first pack was a bargain cave special at Cabelas. It was ~10lb, 80+ liter pack, pockets galore. And I filled it with a 7lb tent, 5lb sleeping pad, 6lb sleeping bag, and all kinds of accessories. My first few trips were incredibly scenic but physically miserable. Oh I wish someone would told me there was a better way. But I didn’t know other hikers and I wasn’t a RU-vidr like I am today. I’m glad for Eric and other resources!
I've only done day hikes without. With a pack and some hard worked knees I dont think I'd like backpacking without having extra support. when I dont need them, I tie them to my pack, better than a long downhill or section of soft ground without them. O need those knees for 25 more years of work.
What do you look for in affordable/budget quality trekking poles? (I'm a newbie.. Only doing day hikes atm. Slowly putting together quality, budget finds.)
Instead of picking a too big pack i picked too small. 40l pack over packed was the worst mistake ive made. The damn thing didnt carry the weight at all and pretty much destroyed my shoulders and back. Also i had way too thin sleepingbag and every morning (around sunrise) i woke up freezing. The good thing about that was i got on the move early and reached my destination well before anyone else was on the campsite lol
It took three trips to realize my feet problems were from my socks. I went form cotton to darn tough wool with injinji liner socks and have never had another blister or issue. Wish someone would of told me that years ago. The next one is 1 layer on top is worth 2 layers under you. I swear by my XTherm sleeping pad. Finally, less is more. If you didn't touch an item the whole time out on your trip (minus first aid, etc.), don't take it on your next trip. Great video!
See me and my boyfriend are going on a blading and longboarding trio and I'm trying to keep in mind a way to have our necessities but also travel light. For starters we're gonna have a medium travel bag, and a skating backpack that holds the skates and the board for when we're walking. But we're worried about keeping it all dry while it's raining even from moisture in the air
Helpful tips! My sense is that backpacking will continue to grow in popularity when people are looking to be active but are less likely to do team sports or attend large gatherings. Backpacking sounds like the perfect solution!
Bush crafters are more equipped for everything except making a lot of miles quickly. Backpackers don't "make" a camp we just set up camp. I believe both are set up for a long term survival situation, but in different ways. I don't know how to survive, or bushcraft just speculation. I'd like to learn.
... and thru hikers are yet a whole other species ,, ultra-lite ,, high miles and don't know what a rose smells like ... always crunching and often with cold wet feet ...
I am with 45 years of hiking/climbing and 28+ years of wild camping experience. The technology of the equipment changed a lot and I am lightweight today comparing the situation some decades ago... but there it is one permanent problem which I can't overpass: water. My prime destinations are karst, limestone Alps, steep slopes... and my average/work-related hikes are 2-3 nights, that's 9l of water or 9 kg of the additional weight to my backpack weight. I am watching and listening to thru-hikers boasting with their lightweight but nobody considers the weight of the water. Someone needs 3 l of water/day to survive without the damage... now imagine the one week of the hike in the area without the water... starting with 21 kg + gear weight, ... there are not always easy trekking "highways" as AT or similar... (?)
Are you saying there are zero water sources? Multiple days with zero water refills would be incredibly hard. I backpack in the desert where water is unreliable. I am accustomed to hauling 4-6 liters of water between water sources, which is pretty rough. I don't know how I would realistically haul 3 days worth of water without my knees crumbling.
@@BackpackingTV With multiday trips, I solve water supply by finding the snow remains in the shadow pots. The limestone area is a problem as there are no streams with fresh water.
Funny enough, I actually did that backpack mistake. First backpack was a Berghaus Cyclops II Atlas (90l main pack + 2x 10l sidebags) ... yikes. My 2nd backpack was a Berghaus Centurio 40. Which is a stretch for beginner due to size, it's heavy for the size and the hip belt isn't padded ... again: yikes.
I think even that pack size you recommend is too big unless you're winter camping. If you just pack what you need, a 45 l pack is good for 4 or 5 days in most places, especially if you are going with others and can share some gear.
That's awesome if you can backpack comfortably in a 45 liter pack. I love it. Some people really enjoy going as light and minimal as possible. I like a few comforts. Therefore a slightly larger pack is good for me.
Purchase your sleeping and cook system 1st, then get your backpack and build it from there. It was a great way to dial in my pack without having extra space.
Nothing to do with backpacking but relevant, my grandfather told me there a really only two thing you need to buy right and spend good money on, good boots and a good bed, your always in one of them!.
3 months hitchhiking Europe: 20 L. 18 months hitchhiking China and SE Asia: 20 L and an umbrella. 7 nights in Greenland: 40 L. Winter adds puff only. What y'all carrying?
I made the huge backpack and cotton clothing mistake. Now I have a zpacks Arc blast and wear synthetics. Man, what a difference. I'm still dialing in my pack to this day.
Well... he "experienced" all these things until someone told him otherwise (some he said for over 10 years!)... So it's also good to learn from others as well and hopefully never "experience" the bad...
200 ft from water is a good guideline, but I'd venture 500. Bugs LOVE being around water and it's hell being near anything slow or stagnant. Works for me most of the time
Acts 16:30-31 King James Version 30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? 31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
Absolutely not. Knowing how to use your gear is far more important. Pointless having $500 goretex jacket if you don’t understand wicking and evaporation. Pointless buying a $3000 tent if you are going to pitch it in the bottom of a valley in winter.
I have some disagreement here with synthetic clothing over cotton. For me, a combination of the two materials work best. Pure synthetics are very uncomfortable on my skin, feeling overly warm and irritable. I don’t know, maybe I purchased the wrong type of synthetics.
#1......Don't buy a 50 inch wide quilt if you're a tent camper. It's much more efficient to carry the extra Down that a wider quilt offers, rather than 3 useless pad straps.
John 3:16-21 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
Can someone explain the benefit of a hip belt on the short backpacks that locks above your belly button? Is it weight distribution? Or is it just to stop shifting?
Before you set out do a double check or your supplies… it sucks going on a two day trip and your food is in the car…. Only to be realized after you are well committed….
Learn to set up your tent while raining before you go to the backcountry If some water us coming in your tent, put your feet portion of your sleeping inside your backpack so it does not get wet
Great video! My recommendations: 1) get a good rain poncho, if it really really rains then your feet will get wet no matter what boots you have, just make sure the poncho keeps your backpack dry. 2) lie on the ground without a mattress bedore placing your tent. That way you can easily feel if there are shitty rocks/bumps. 3) bring a small pillow, it's no luxury. 4) eat/drink something warm every night, it really lifts the spirits
Hello we hope all is well we have not seen any new content from you for 4 months we hope all is good ? Many blessing my friend Love and Light Sarah and Glenn
I would recommend renting gear for beginners to give them a chance to see if it's really for them....if not then they haven't paid a lot of money for gear etc I was young and foolish once lol; and had an external frame pack, food; roll of toilet paper and jeans and a T-shirt - hit the trail loaded down with way more than anyone should bring....had a great time No whoah everything is high tech....pushin' 60 and have learned to go light weight....bought really great mattress therm max plus a quilt and sleep so well in the back country.... So important to buy good quality gear that will last a long time....it's been great getting back out there again!!!
Had a 60L. Had kids. Now I'm the family mule with the 85L. Still, I see people buying 60s and strapping half their gear to the outside. I like everything in the pack myself.
@@BackpackingTV it is almost exactly like you said word for word. I have a massive pack because I thought I don't have to fill it up. I thought I could use it for overnight trips aswell as week long trips but how wrong I was. Nothing works like i thought.
Sorry dude I know this is an older video but has anyone ever told u that u look like you could be Tommy caldwell's brother? The famous climber who is missing a finger, I swear I always think you are him and he is u
For sleeping in the woods I use a INVOKER 3'' Memory Foam Self Inflating Camping Mat. Its like having a memory foam mat and a blowup air mat in the same package. The foam inflates the mat once you open the valve and once fully opened you can close the valve and it acts like air matress. Its very nice for sleeping on the ground but due to the price 80 bucks, its bulk (not overly heavy), and the bit of a pain in the ass to pack back up its well worth it if you want a rich full nights sleep. If I am going on long hikes over several days I leave it behind with the tent and opt for a double nested hammock from grand trunk, underquilt from onetigris, and a 14 point hammock rain fly.
I've already taken my first " poop" in the wilderness! Also I have seen a video, or two on the subject, and I was super successful with it. Great videos Dude! I am blessed to have come across your channel. Have a great day. With love, and respect. Wes Sept
... can generally find sizable pieces of A/C bubble wrap insulation in the dumpster at construction sites ..for free ....makes a good ground pad under air mat and sit pad size of choice (fold mat pad in half)... cut to size and tape edges ,, one piece will last almost forever , (if cared for) ..can also use to make pot cosy's ..
The worst mistake I made starting out was pitching my tent in a low spot. I woke up about 2 or 3 in the morning freezing cold, wet, and with a flooded tent. Then I got to pack all my wet gear and hike out. Most of my stuff was cotton and much, much more heavier, my pack must have weighed 80 pounds. I never did that again. Back in the 80’s lightweight gear was very expensive and not always easy to get. There was literally no second hand gear available. Each year I would replace one or two pieces with upgraded gear until eventually I had the best I could afford. That’s when gear lust hit, every year when Backpacker magazine’s gear guide would come out. I still remember when Gortex came out and how unbelievably expensive it was, Gortex had to wait. I have loads more stories to share another time perhaps.
Disagree on Pack size since a larger pack packed to 60-70% allows extra space if you need to break camp in a hurry and peace things looser if damp or wet. I’d rather have space I don’t need than no space I do need and the extra 10-20 litres weighs mere ounces.
battery pack, rechargeable headlamp. Buy the right footwear, trainers and sneakers won't do it. Always bring two extra pairs of socks. Remember to include down booties for very cold weather. A good sleeping bag (be sure the temperature rating is for comfort, not transition or extreme measures). Sleeping pads have thermal insulation ratings. No inflatable pillows for cold weather.
I bought the biggest backpack for my first trip and I stuffed it to the brim. I was carrying easily over 25kg. And most of the weight consisted of whole meals in a can. Those cans ussually weight around 400g each and I packed like thrice as much food as I actually needed. Yeah those were the days.
u make great points ty 4 ur vid almost 20 years of watching all the vids (and books) on off grid or survival... and almost non of it is practical or cheep. i live off grid now for 4 years and the shock of learning that youtube ppl are selling something. with that said, is it off grid or sustainable if you have to buy something. short term survival is all i ever see on youtube.
1. Wearing a rugged and heavy bombproof leather boots...that's a difference between a comfortable and miserable hiking...and also fight with blisters. 2. Sacrifice comfort and safety for lightweight backpacking . Leave your full med kit and your camping chair or warm tent and extra clothes in home 3. Forget that quote : you know more you less to carry. It's not about "backpacking" .hike your own hike and enjoy the nature. For example I'm a medium torso guy but I always have problems with my shoulders so I choose a bigger backpack to send all weights to my hips also a bigger backpack good for hunting and game gatherings...
1) Don’t get too big a pack too soon. 50-65L is probably good for most people. 2) Don’t skimp out on a cheap or poor quality sleeping pad, sleep quality makes camping much better. 3) Take some time to learn how to poo in the woods, so it doesn’t intimidate you. 4) Take good food! Enjoy it! Learn how to cook well out of a pack. 5) Don’t wear cotton.
Until fairly recently, everyone wore cotton, you just had to bring more clothes to change when you get cold. People did all these things, long before there was polyester.
@@ernststravoblofeld I still use cotton T-shirts. Avoid getting cold by changing into a new T-shirt every longer stop and pray that you can manage to dry enough of them each day to keep going. I have tried synthetics, merino wool, random sports-ware. But nothing is as comfortable as cotton.
@@timonix2 Hard to beat cotton for comfort or price. But I do really like being able to rinse out some polyester clothes and wear them almost immediately. And in cases where hypothermia is a real possibility, I'm willing to sacrifice a lot of comfort. But in most common conditions I wear cotton stuff, or some mix. You just need to know what you are about.
bear spray works on all animals please use it or get some - now pa holds mountain lions i seen three of them its not fun to see these animals with out a cage period watching the snakes is terrible if bitten it not good - no fun getting bit by something -
